nhs contracts? Hi all, i am now working in the nhs as part of the theatre department and in doing so signed the usual contract agreeing to working on calls, late shifts and weekends etc, the problem is that some staff are not taking part in this arrangement because of various reasons ( my cats scared of the dark or little johnny wets the bed) sanctioned by the managers and therefore the remaining staff are having to work extra shifts to compensate. My question is, are we all being treated equally and do we have any basis for taking action against the management. Any help would be great. Cheers.

Hi there. Just on the off chance my husband sent a request to Barclays to see if he had PPI on any of his cards. It turns out he had it on his Barclaycard Mastercard from Sept '97 until Dec 2004 and on his Barclaycard Visa from Sept '97 until Aug 2015. What would be our next step forward please? Thank you.

I have a disabled son confined to a wheelchair (he is unable to drive), we are in the process of getting him a motability wheelchair accessible vehicle, my question is as follows. Motability will insure me and normally insure one other driver, in this case my 22 year old able bodied son who lives very close to his disabled brother, so he was going to be the main driver. The problem we have is motability will not insure my son as he has a motoring offence (driving without Insurance) which is over 3 years old so not on his licence. Motability have said as it is less than 5 years they can not insure my son. Is is possible for me to purchase a separate insurance policy for my son to drive this car, or is that not allowed? Grateful for guidance of any experts out there. Regards

Ofcom today published a guide on how the major mobile providers lock and unlock phones. Ofcom’s guide features tables on which providers lock mobile phones and how much it will cost you to unlock them. There is lots of variation in what different companies do, highlighting how confusing it can be for consumers. Three Mobile and Giffgaff already sell all of their mobiles unlocked. However, others charge as much as £20 to get your phone unlocked – a process that can take as long as 28 days. Which? believe you shouldn't have to pay a hefty fee to unlock your mobile. That's one of the reasons why they have launched a campaign to Unlock Better Mobile Deals. You can help them keep the pressure on the big mobile providers by signing their petition here: http://www.which.co.uk/campaigns/mobile-phone-deals/?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=mobiles_ee_update_notsigned_fulllist_05082014

Hi guys, Bit of background: I'm just shy of two years with my employer, I always prioritise my work and in the beginning, when the workload was really high, I would often stay back for hours and come in at the weekend to help out without being asked and without being paid. I have a strong work ethic. The issue: My manager, whom I've raised a grievance against for various reasons, reported me to HR for carrying out non-work related activity whilst at work which is true. Why did I do it if I have a strong work ethic? Various people on the team including myself have brought to our manager's attention that there are many hours every day with no work to do. He hasn't escalated this to anyone and he has allowed everyone on the team to browse the internet, complete coursework and sit on Facebook etc. for many months. I refuse to sit and do nothing for hours every day so I choose to educate myself by completing coursework. What's happened? I had an investigation which I know is going to progress to a disciplinary based on the questions and the fact that I once (or twice) printed something off using work's printers. This probably cost the company 10p and considering the additional hours of work I've put in I would say that they could let that slide but they won't of course. Every time I gave a reasonable explanation for my actions, the investigator explained it away and asked me leading questions to force me to look bad such as 'do you think it is reasonable of an employer who is paying you to expect you to talk with your team as part of a team bonding exercise rather than use company equipment (PC) to complete coursework'. This question is ridiculous and I tried to point this out in the most diplomatic way possible; if my employer is happy to pay me to sit and gossip for hours, or sit and stare into space for hours then why would it matter if I sit and do coursework? I feel as though I am being punished for choosing to educate myself rather than sit and chat...which we're actually not allowed to do because our manager tells us off for it regularly (i.e. after a couple of minutes, never mind hours!) The advice I need is this: If an employee tells their line manager and one of the owners of the company that they do not have any work to do for lengthy periods of time every day (proving they want to work!), can the employer punish me for browsing the web etc. especially when everyone else on the team does it and the manager has known for months? This company has standard policies about web usage but our manager has set the precedent by allowing it for so long. The example they gave of 'sit and chat' is ridiculous because that would be worse and here's why: The investigator had been given (false) information that on a particular shift I had not dealt with a user effectively as a result of doing my coursework. This was inaccurate, I had actually put more effort into trying to get it resolved than any of my colleagues would have, it just happens that I missed what the issue was. There was only one other colleague working that day and we'd had a falling out. Clearly he has lied about me. Yet, this same colleague kept leaving his desk to go and chat with people and actually packed up all of his things 40 minutes before the end of his shift and went to have a gossip with some staff. I completed more than twice the amount of work that he did on that shift. By being away from his desk, he wasn't available to take calls and wasn't available to deal with any issues yet I was because I was staring at my screen writing up an essay. So, who was the more productive employee that day? What employer would really prefer an employee to sit and chat, over educating themselves? I'm shortly speaking to Citizens Advice as I cannot believe that there is any legal justification for refusing to give someone work to do for so many hours but then complain when they read...or type an essay. Especially when the alternative that they suggest is actually worse. I'd also like to point out that when my manager was told about others doing similar things, he did nothing about it. Doesn't my employer have a responsibility to treat me equally and fairly? If anyone has any comments or suggestions, I'd appreciate them.

I have just realised that I have been paying two building insurance policies for 12 years.Can I get a refund and if so how much am I entitled to?

I am currently browsing through a miriad of documents, received after a SAR request to a financial institution, re a mortgage loan to a close relative whereupon, I have found a doc relating to a Single Premium Disbursment Income Protection/Term Life.in the sum of close to £1000. Is this doc relating to PPI or purely a life ins policy?? All information advice will be gratefully received. "EXEMPLO DUCEMUS"

I have been attempting to do research on cold weather policies for canvassing employees. The company I work for has only been around for just over a year. As of now, they have not had a weather policy to protect their workers from being unable to work in unsafe weather conditions. I work in Minnesota, and our crew has missed 10 days in the last month alone due to to the subzero, unsafe conditions we are facing. The company has been receptive to our request for a policy to be enacted, ie, providing us alternate ways to work indoors (malls, etc), or half-day pay. I am wondering if any one knows of any weather policies provided by similar employers, what they entail and what, if any, compensation is offered? Thanks all!

Hi all....theres lots to this but I work for a company that within just over 15 months has grown from approx 8 personnel including the MD to now over 180 with three directors in functional positions. We have...ABSOLUTELY. no policies or procdeures for anything....and I really do mean nothing at all. recently they have tried to discipline 2 people...they had Union reps with them and the procedures had to be stopped. We have no..first aid kits, no first aiders, no fire wardens, no evacuation procedure, No Equality and diversity policy, no staff handbooks etc the list goes on and on. our fire alarms are never checked and there are no evacuation practices. I am about to become the focus of a complaint and plan to use the opportunity to hopefully...wake them up to a few things. Our HR and legal department are a young girl who has a bout as much experience and indeed the qualifications of a lollipop stick. Please help.

Hi, I recently sold a mobile phone on ebay for £200, I listed in the article twice that the phone had a defect and I had numerous emails from buyers asking about it which I gave full information on, some of them bidded. It was then sold and the money paid - i sent the item out, a few days later the buyer puts in a dispute saying that the item doesnt match description as it has a defect (yes the same one i listed in the article). After a few back and forward emails ebay stepped in and yesterday I got an email saying they have decided in buyers favour - immediately i contacted ebay who informed me this wasn't the case and it was an automated email but they have asked buyer to send item back and i should check it when it comes back for any faults. Now if they would of read his complaint to me they would of realised it was the same thing i mentioned in the article and looking at ebays OWN terms and conditions it does state that they will not decide the buyer is right if the defect is mentioned fully in the article... but obviously it seems they have ignored this and are trying to push for a refund anyways... as far i'm concerned they are now in breach of there own contractual agreements with me and anyone else who has a similar issue. I am pushing the complaints every day and seeing if I can get anywhere but keep getting conflicting emails off different members of ebay staff all the time. Some saying when I get item then I should appeal and say it does match description, others saying it will auto refund when it is returned. I have closed my paypal account (can they still push a refund?) and will be closing my ebay account after this, I am totally unwilling to give a refund based on what the buyer has said (he has simply changed his mind). Does anyone know where I stand on this as I am totally willing to push a small claim against ebay for breaching the contract and going against there own buyers/sellers protection guidelines. As you can imagine, this locked my paypal account for like 2 weeks and caused loads of issues with shops I use paypal to pay - and it looks like this is going to continue for a while yet. Thanks for any help Kevin

Hiya All I have a very Basic Question concerning Policies/Procedures. If a Employer has acted under various policies and procedures [in a way that targetted/excluded individuals/groups] which turn out not to exist - how would that affect a potential employment tribunal case? How would you explain the non-existance to a Judge? I am sure there will be some in interesting replies so fire away people. Cheers

Hi does anyone know anything about multicar policies? My son asked me to join a multicar policy with him to make his car insurance cheaper as he is 25 + his insurance is usually about £1000/£1200 per year which he pays in monthly instalments. My insurance is £230 per year full comp which I pay on a one off payment. I said to my son Martin that I didn't really want to be bothered with all the hastle as I was happy with my insurance company deal + paying my years priemiums up front but I told him when my insurance was due for renewal which wasn't for another 6 months or so. When my insurance was up for renewal my son Martin gave me a quote of £300 for to join him in the multicar policy with Admiral I said I'd rather stay with the AA + I certainly would not give them £300 when mine was only £230 Martin said he would pay the difference so I told the AA I was not renewing with them + gave Martin my £230 for my years premium + left him to pay his monthly insurance fees persuaded with Admiral. About 2 months later someone wrote my sons car off they admitted full liability so my son no longer had a car to insure he picked up a cheap runabout the next week to get to + from work when he phoned up Admiral to insure the car they said they wanted £1200 upfront payment Martin said he couldn't afford £1200 all at once that was why he has always paid monthly instalments, they said they could only accept full payment so Martin said well I will have to insure else where. a week later I got a letter from Admiral saying my car insurance was ending the next week!!! so I wasn't happy as I didn't want to go with them in the first place + now having given Martin my years premium upfront I have been insured 2 months + now just been told it would be ending the next week, so I phoned up the AA who I was with before + didn't want to leave + took out a years insurance with them + paid it upfront again, Martin did give me back the money I gave him for the years insurance for Admiral as I only had been insured about 2 months with them. Then the problem arises Admiral kept sending letters for Martin to pay £1200 for a years insurance when they are the ones that knew his car had been written off + when he got another one they said they would need the years insurance paid upfront + Martin said no he could not afford that + would have to insure elsewhere which he did + they cancelled my policy without even asking me anything. Martin phoned Admiral up + said why are you sending me a bill for a years policy when I cancelled with you due to my car being written off + even when I got another car you said you would need the money upfront one off payment + I told you no can do. After weeks of Admiral sending Martin letters requesting £1200 + trying to take it out his bank by direct debit but being unsuccessful as he never has that kind off money in his account, They have now started sending letters to me in my name demanding £1200 + threatening me with balliffs. I phoned them + said it was my son who took the policy out not me I never signed anything I am not paying £1200 when my insurance for the year is £230 + I gave that to Martin + they cancelled my insurance after just 2 months when Martins car got written off + they didn't consult me + why would Martin be responsible for a years insurance anyway as when his car got written off they stopped the insurance + didn't let him insure his new car with them unless he paid the whole years priemium upfront which he said no he could not do so he had to go else where so why should he have to pay a years premiums for no service + have to pay another company to insure him???? now I am getting letters from this company called C.A.R.S. who are debt collectors for Admiral + in my name when it was my sons policy I never signed anything with Admiral + I won't pay them a penny as I don't think Martin owes them anything the policy was cancelled when his car was written off + it was his policy not mine..........HELP PLEASE !!!!